Cranberry juice is a popular drink which is loved by people all over the world. Cranberry juice is tart and is dark reddish in in color. This juice can be consumed as a pure juice or as a part of a cocktail. The dish is best known for its medicinal qualities. Cranberry juice is known to prevent bladder infections, lower blood pressure, treat cardio-vascular problems and also prevent skin ageing. The main ingredients used to make Cranberry juice are water, cranberries and sugar. This juice is popular among people of all age groups.
Usually, cranberry as a fruit is quite sharp in flavor and bitter as well, hence, these small berries are widely used to extract juice that is generally mixed with other juices and sweetened drinks to make more palatable.
Almost 95% of cranberries are cultivated and processed to make cranberry juice and other cranberry dishes. This drink is not only considered a perfect base for other drinks, but also has many health benefits that can be attained with its regular consumption.
History of Cranberry Juice
Cranberries are actually the trailing vines mainly grown in the cooler areas of Northern Hemisphere. In certain American regions and Canadian states, this berry is considered the major crop and usually processed to make juice, sauces and other sweetened dishes.
In the early 21st century, the popularity of raw cranberry products including juice had rapidly increased in the global functional food industry. The main reason behind this popularity is the presence of various healthy nutrients and antioxidants in the cranberries. The cranberries juice is highly beneficial in terms of providing essential nutrients for the overall body health that makes the berry a ‘superfruit’.
Cranberry Juice: Extraction
Cranberries juice is mainly extracted from the regular cranberries that are found in Northern Hemisphere, America and Canada. The commercially available cranberry juice is extracted with the help of electronic juicers that are useful for producing gallons of juice. The liquid is generally diluted with water and sweetened with sugar syrup, corn syrup or other artificial syrups to make a commercially sold drink. The sweeteners are added to reduce the natural tartness of the juice.
Homemade cranberry juice is a healthy option against the commercially made sweetened drinks. It can be prepared by including very few ingredients such as fresh cranberries along with water, salt and very little sugar. Orange slices may also be added to provide extra nutrition. Little cooking is required to make a healthy drink. Cranberries, water, salt and orange slices should be put in a saucepan and cooked until the berries are burst. The mixture is then sieved through a cloth in order to remove the solids. The extracted juice is again poured in the saucepan and mixed with sugar. A single boil is enough for the sugar to dissolve. It is better to chill the juice before drinking. The removed fruit solids can be best utilized in making homemade cranberry sauce.
Uses of Cranberry Juice
Cranberries juice is either consumed as pure juice or more frequently used as a blend in several alcoholic cocktails and other drinks. Other flavors and fruits juices also go well with cranberry juice to make a vibrant drink. Usually, the cranberries juice, when talked about is referred to the commercially available sweetened drink.
‘Cape Codder’ and ‘Cosmopolitan’ are the popular alcoholic drinks that mix juice of cranberry to make heady drinks. Apart from these drinks, the cranberry juice lends itself to ‘Bog Grog’, a well-liked non-alcoholic drink, along with ginger ale.
Even a wine, called ‘cranberry wine’ is a finished product of processed cranberry juice or concentrate. People in cranberry growing regions of America widely consume this wine.
Health Benefits Related to Cranberry Juice
The various health benefits associated with the liquid extract of ‘superfruit’ (Cranberry) are as follows:
Trivia
Cranberries juice along with dark chocolate is considered a wonder drink for recognized health benefits.
Reference
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